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I’m dreaming of a NOT WHITE Spring today… ya know, being the first day of Spring… having such an epic weather week last week, and waking up to SNOW ALL OVER THE GROUND… makes me quite an unhappy camper. To say I’m not happy is the understatement of the CENTURY!!! I’m more over snow this year then I think I’ve ever been in my adult life. Mother nature *knocks loudly* Please GET.IT.TOGETHER!!! *hops of soap box*

Ok! So! I’m back on the wagon (hopefully) and I’m jumping in with my girls at the DC Trifecta Cynthia, Courtney and Mar @ You Signed Up, Eat Pray Run, DC and Mar on the Run respectively. 🙂 This weeks theme is “THINK SPRING!!!” Which I’m trying… oh LORD I’m trying… to do. So, here we go!!

Here are five things I’m looking forward to for the Spring time!!! (lets turn this bitter mamabear face into a smile!!!) *fingers crossed*

1. BASEBALL!!! Orioles opening day is April 10th and I’m looking forward to this SOOOO much so!! It’s later this year by 10 days, so hopefully the weather will be a bit less windy and chilly. If not, NBD!! I’ll still be at one of my favorite places (OPACY) watching the O’s play, drinking extremely over prices beer, in a field of orange. Yep, sounds a bit life heaven.

2. The smells – Let me explain (Kevin Hart much?) Anyway… everything smells amazing in the Spring. The grass, the beautiful flowers, the trees are blooming (which smell good), the air even smells different. Everything seams to smell better in the spring. This might only be me, and that’s TOTALLY acceptable, I even think some fresh fruit smells better in spring time. Weird? eh, whatevs! I’m ok with it!! So, bring on the aromatic amazingness!

3. Being able to run OFF the treadmill! Small victory, yes. But for someone who is in a bit of a running slump, this is HUGE!!! I dread every TM run. All of them. And for this reason, running has taken the back burner to my core workouts. (you really think I STOPPED workout out?? *psssh* you silly!) I feel like I’ve been neglecting a passion of mine because of how much I loathe the treadmill! Also, it’s not mine. I have to go to me apt complex gym (not a big deal, it’s 0.1 miles away) to use it, and then I’m not alone… so there’s always the chance of Sir Creeps-a-lot showing up all leery and uncomfortable, which causes me to cut the run short. The warmer weather (that I HOPE to see soon) will make for outdoor runs! YAY!!!

4. Longer days which mean more time to play with Alex outside!! This kid has a MEAN curve ball!! I love playing catch with him! He’s getting better very quickly… so quickly, that I’m starting to think I need to get him into little man baseball (can you tell I’m new at this??) rather soon. He hits pretty well also! So, longer days allows Mamabear to get home from working ridiculous hours… and still get to spend quality time with my handsome little dude!! Win Win!!! ❤

5. SPRING CLOTHES!!! Brighter colors, less clothing all together, and lighter fabrics!! YES, YES, and HELL YES!!! So excited to finally pull out the capris, the tank tops, the flip flops, and the sun dresses. I don’t know how soon I’ll be able to WEAR any of this stuff, but gosh darnit, ITS COMING OUT OF STORAGE!!! 😉 Too excited to keep it away any longer!!! No more boots, and heavy, crazy, stuff!!

What are you looking forward to for spring time?? Any fun trips coming up? Any exciting runs? Any super cute spring outfits? Lets be serious… they’re all cool. Let me know!! 🙂 Have an amazing weekend!!! ❤

It’s Friday!!! You know what that means… Another Friday Five!! Last week is the first week in a LONG time… actually the first one since I started “Friday Five” that I’ve missed a FF post. However, I had a good reason. I was on a 33+ hour relay race in DC called Ragnar. (Recap coming, I promise!) This weeks theme for the Friday Five are “Favorites”. It’s starting to get cooler and I’m starting to change things day by day, so I’m going to go with “5 of my recent favorite things” (and yes, the song from sound of music is playing in my head now…) At per the Usual, this Friday Five is brought to you by, Cynthia, Mar, and Courtney, lovingly known as the DC Trifecta!! OK!! Lets get this party started!!!

1. Changing leaves – Driving around Owings Mills (from my job to Alex’s Pre-K), watching the recent changing in the leaves, is absolutely beautiful. Actually, beautiful is too pedestrian a term… pulchritudinous. (yea… I went there) I am beside myself at the way they make feel, the way the leaves make me smile and make my heart warm… without trying. Unbeknownst to these little leaves, they bring me immense joy… on a daily basis. So, little foliage, thank you.

2. Warm Beverages – Green tea in the late evening, Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes in the early mornings (weekdays), hot chocolate with cayenne pepper on weekend mornings (don’t knock it til you’ve tried it!). Warms not only the body… it warms the soul. Again, it’s the little things… The warms beverage that slowly wipes away the ailments from the long day at the office (followed by the horrendous traffic, followed by the rambunctious toddler who just wants to love you but screams in your ear for 3 hours, follow but the terrible run that makes you scream in agony…), that warm tea forces you to take a moment and sit, relax, bask in the (sometimes) silence, and just be.

3. Sweatpants – Ok ladies, don’t even pretend like you haven’t pulled out those sweatpants lately!! (lol) It’s chilly, especially at night, and these things are HEAVEN sent when you’re just DONE for the day and want to relax. Also, WARM AND SNUGGLY?! HELL YEA!! I’ve actually found myself falling asleep on the couch in my sweatpants the past few days. (not afraid to admit that!) It’s like a blanket, but you can’t accidentally throw it off of you!! (win-win). Same things goes for the Hoodies (yea, I’m including this in my number 3). I can’t take my hoodie off as of late!! My Ragnar hoodie is on my person ALL THE TIME!! My office is an icebox, my apartment is pretty chilly (don’t want to rack up an obscene BGE bill), and it’s not warm out anymore – NOT COMPLAINING. Also, It’s a frickin Ragnar hoodie!! (AWESOME!)

4. Fall smell – You know EXACTLY what I’m talking about. Every day this week, I’ve left work around 2:30-3pm. I walk outside of my building and my lungs are immediately greeted with the AMAZING scent of Autumn. It’s cool, it’s crisp, it’s remarkable. I smile, every time. And every day I’m greeted with a little giggle from the security guard who sees me, like clock work, close my eyes – take a deep breath – smile. I think he believes I’m just happy to get the hell out of work. (He’s not wrong) But it’s so much more. It’s… Autumn. 🙂

5. Windows Down – Now that it’s not INSANELY warm, I can drive with my windows down!! Doesn’t seem like a huge deal right? No… it is. My son LOVE to put his hand a little out of the window and make his hand a rocket. He flies in the wind while we’re driving. He’s FINALLY able to do this again!! Everyday after I’ve picked him up from Pre-K, he’s been able to “fly the rocket to outer space” and I’ve been able to watch and smile as he gets really excited as he “counts down from 10…. BLASTOFF!!!” Also, smaller joy, but also awesome, it feels extraordinary!!

Hope you enjoyed my Friday five and that you have an amazing weekend!!! As always, stay healthy and happy!! ❤

This Friday five should be super easy because the theme is ALL ABOUT ME!!!

1. I have a LOT of nicknames – yea… I do. When you’re name is Anastasia, you tend to get called a lot of different things. My favorite and the one most people know me by is “Stacey”. Where my parents got Stacey from Anastasia… well… it’s easier to “get” when you say “Anastasia” with the greek pronunciation “ah-nah-stah-cee-ah”. Lol. Did you sound it out?? Almost hear Stacey in there?? Anywho, I’ve been called, Stacey, Stashia, Anna, Anne, A, Mooshy, Bae, Koukla (greek word for sweetheart), Mommy (my other favorite <3), Probie, Sheldon (like Jim Parsons character from Big Bang Theory… lol. I have an AMAZING memory and people at work are constantly amazed by what I can remember… “Ok Sheldon, whats this?” etc), frog face twinkie toes (but only by my sister), and lastly (that I can remember) Smiles. This one stuck hard when I was in high school because my maiden name is Miles. S. Miles… Smiles. 🙂 Which leads me to my second about me…

2. I am almost ALWAYS smiling – even if I’m in a terrible mood, you will see a smile on my face. I believe a smile is contagious. I also believe sometimes, all someone needs is to see another person smiling, to lighten their mood. It might not make them smile immediately, but you have to admit… if a random stranger (Assuming they aren’t creepy) smiles at you, you feel good. If only for a moment. I ALSO believe that the reason my son is ALWAYS smiling, is because he sees me smile all the time. Now… please don’t misunderstand… my life isn’t all rainbows and unicorn poop. But I can always muster enough energy to smile. Remember… it takes WAY more muscles to frown then it does to smile. 😉

3. I’m extremely protective – my family, my friends, my stuff… Don’t mess with it. It’s almost to the point of being ridiculous. I don’t like when people touch things on my desk when I’m off work, because it’s my stuff… I don’t like when people touch my food… because it’s my stuff… Now, as far as my friends and family go… I will, without question put my life down for each member of my family and close friends without thought. Like I mentioned before, I’m small. That doesn’t mean I wont fight for the people I love. I wont let people bully, belittle, or lie about MY people. Why?? “because its my stuff…” lol. Seriously though, don’t mess with my family, friends, or stuff and I’ll be your best friend in the world… cross them… I’m your worst nightmare.

4. My son almost killed me – no, I’m not being dramatic… I almost died during the birth of my son. He was born in Germany and there were MAJOR complications. I wanted to hang him naturally, but I’m very small. His head was… well… not. He torn me apart inside. I have (almost 4 years late) a 6 in tear in side my uterus that still has not healed. The doctors in Germany decided I couldn’t go naturally and prepped me for a c/s. I flat lined during the procedure… But… I’m typing this now, so obviously I’m ok. My son is healthy, I’m healthy-ish. So all is well!!! However, I get to hold that over his head every time he’s rude to me, lol. (even though, at three that doesn’t really work…)

5. I have an addictive personality – which is why I never started smoking…. which is why I’ve never tried ANY type of drugs… up to and including Marijuana. I got my first tattoo on 3/2/13. Within 6 wks, I had two more. I only stopped because financially I had to. I still want more… Running is another example… Financial hardship is the only reason I don’t have a race EVERY weekend day. My mother just texted me (surprisingly enough) and said “You DON’T have a race this weekend?! When was the last time that happened?!!!” When I find something I like… I can’t get enough of it. Luckily, Tattoos and running wont hurt me. (YAY!!!)

On that note, I hope you enjoyed my friday five!!! have a GREAT friday and an even GREATER weekend!!!